The FastDay Forum

Dear All,
I'm stuck in the 6 month plateau. Classic with 10% weight loss from start but just seesaw around the 20 pounds I've lost for almost 2 months now. I am trying to stay to the 500 cal. per day but I do stray up to 700 sometimes. My feed days are always within my TDEE. Would such a small variation cause this plateau? Also I do exercise a lot. I live on a small mountain and walk 2-2&1/2 miles per day up and down it. Pretty aerobic! I have tried to slowly increase the mileage per day up to 3 miles but am struggling to do that. I'm sure that would kick start the weight loss but I just can't find the time every day. Anybody help!
Thanks,
Andrea

Have you tried upping your fats, particularly coconut oil? When I eat more fats I don't feel hungry and seldom snack. It also lends itself well to cutting back on carbs if you add the fats to veggies, curries, casseroles etc. Coconut oil is delicious in curries and spicy soups like butternut squash. I find it satiating and it does away with the desire or need for bread rolls or rice.
Must be nice living up a mountain!

Hi when I was in a similar position I took stock of all my days because a few treats had crept back in I also reduced my carb intake and stopped having any carbs on each of my 3 fast days, my only other tip is to mix it up a little either an extra fastday or a couple of 16:8s plus your 2 fastday this will confuse your body to kickstart again Sue.

[Moogie]

I suspect with a 6 month plateau it's probably not just going to break by itself. It suggests to me that the amount you are eating is your maintenance amount. Add up how much you eat over a week including your fast days at 700ish calories each and divide the total by 7 - whatever that is should be your actual TDEE (remember, online calculators can't be totally accurate, only what you observe through your real life can be totally foolproof!). So, that's then the amount you should be eating to on your feed days and cut back to 25% of that on your fasts. Out of curiosity, what do you consider your TDEE to be at the moment?

[carorees]

just to clarify..according to the OP it's a 2-month plateau which is after 6 months of 5:2, not a 6 month long plateau!

[Moogie]

Oops, I probably shouldn't try to multi task by replying while I'm working! A 2 month plateau isn't uncommon and may break in the next week or two by all accounts. Otherwise my tdee suggestion stands!

I agree, Krista Varady has said a plateau at the 4-6 month mark is not unusual for ADF. Just stay disciplined and the plateau should break. I'm hopefully at the end of a 1.5 month plateau that struck just before the 6 month mark. I'm below my lowest weight during the plateau and trending downwards so I should know this week whether the plateau is over.

TedE

[carorees]

Just checked back on my stats. Although I didn't plateau, the weightloss showed dramatically during months 6 and 7 and then picked up again, so yes seems something happens after 6 months! But it seems that it passes (phew!). Keep calm and carry on!

Dear All,
Thanks so much for all your suggestions. I have been doing 5:2 since mid March so mid Sep. would be 6 months for me. I had lost 20 pounds by beginning of July and have been around there ever since so it has been a 3 month plateau actually. Sue Q. I will try to reduce carbs overall and especially on fast days. Dhana, I'm not sure about upping fat intake because of calories. Moogie, yes, I think you are probably right about me being at my maintenance amount and will need to reduce TDEE to further lose pounds. I will also try that. Really good suggestions all of you. I so appreciate the time you took to help me with my questions.
I do feel good and proud of the amount I have lost so far, the first time I have lost that much and kept it off in 20 years. I am sticking with it regardless as I definitely don't want to gain any of that back!
Sincerely, Andrea

Hi:

Here are some thoughts on plateaus:
5-2-diet-chat-f6/on-plateaus-t7102.html

And here is the math behind all weight loss:
5-2-diet-chat-f6/topic6600.html

Good Luck!